Land vehicles incorporating front and rear suspension assemblies, suspension assemblies, and components therefor

Abstract

Land vehicles are disclosed. A land vehicle includes a chassis extending in a longitudinal direction, a plurality of wheels supported by the chassis including a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels arranged rearward of the pair of front wheels in the longitudinal direction, a pair of front suspension assemblies each coupled to one of the pair of front wheels and the chassis to support the pair of front wheels for rotation relative to the chassis in use of the land vehicle, and a pair of rear suspension assemblies each coupled to one of the pair of rear wheels and the chassis to support the pair of rear wheels for rotation relative to the chassis in use of the land vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A land vehicle comprising:
 a chassis extending in a longitudinal direction comprising a rear suspension subframe assembly that includes a base plate, a first frame arch coupled to the base plate at one lateral end thereof, and a second frame arch coupled to the base plate at another lateral end thereof opposite the one lateral end;   a plurality of wheels supported by the chassis including a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels arranged rearward of the pair of front wheels in the longitudinal direction;   a pair of front suspension assemblies each coupled to one of the pair of front wheels and the chassis to support the pair of front wheels for rotation relative to the chassis in use of the land vehicle; and   a pair of rear suspension assemblies each coupled to one of the pair of rear wheels and the chassis to support the pair of rear wheels for rotation relative to the chassis in use of the land vehicle,   wherein:   at least one section of the chassis includes a pair of base rails spaced from one another in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,   one of the front suspension assemblies is mounted to one of the pair of base rails such that the one front suspension assembly is arranged outward of the one of the pair of base rails in the lateral direction, and   the other of the front suspension assemblies is mounted to the other of the pair of base rails such that the other front suspension assembly is arranged outward of the other of the pair of base rails in the lateral direction.   
     
     
         2 . The land vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the chassis comprises a front suspension subframe assembly supporting the pair of front wheels, and   the front suspension subframe assembly comprises a base rail assembly including the pair of base rails.   
     
     
         3 . The land vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the front suspension subframe assembly comprises a drive unit cradle at least partially housing a plurality of drive units of the vehicle that are coupled to the pair of front wheels and a base block coupled to the drive unit cradle and arranged rearward of the drive unit cradle in the longitudinal direction, and   the drive unit cradle and the base block are mounted to the base rail assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The land vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the one front suspension assembly includes a mount plate directly coupled to the one of the pair of base rails such that the mount plate is aligned with the drive unit cradle in the longitudinal direction, and   the mount plate includes a planar exterior face.   
     
     
         5 . The land vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein the one front suspension assembly includes a mount structure having a planar mount face in direct contact with the planar exterior face of the mount plate. 
     
     
         6 . The land vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the one front suspension assembly includes a swing arm assembly movably coupled to the mount structure,   the swing arm assembly includes a disc on which one of the pair of front wheels is rotatably mounted, and   the one front suspension assembly includes at least one shock absorber movably coupled to the swing arm assembly and the mount structure.   
     
     
         7 . The land vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate is formed to include a central cavity in which a plurality of drive units of the vehicle that are coupled to the pair of rear wheels is at least partially positioned. 
     
     
         8 . The land vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one of the rear suspension assemblies is mounted to the rear suspension subframe assembly adjacent the first frame arch such that the one rear suspension assembly is arranged at least partially inward of the first frame arch in the lateral direction, and   the other of the rear suspension assemblies is mounted to the rear suspension subframe assembly adjacent the second frame arch such that the other rear suspension assembly is arranged at least partially inward of the second frame arch in the lateral direction.   
     
     
         9 . The land vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the one rear suspension assembly includes a swing arm assembly movably coupled to the rear suspension subframe assembly,   the swing arm assembly includes a disc on which one of the pair of rear wheels is rotatably mounted,   the one rear suspension assembly includes at least one shock absorber movably coupled to the swing arm assembly and the rear suspension subframe assembly, and   the at least one shock absorber of the one rear suspension assembly is arranged inward of the first frame arch in the lateral direction.   
     
     
         10 . The land vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the other rear suspension assembly includes a swing arm assembly movably coupled to the rear suspension subframe assembly,   the swing arm assembly includes a disc on which the other of the pair of rear wheels is rotatably mounted,   the other rear suspension assembly includes at least one shock absorber movably coupled to the swing arm assembly and the rear suspension subframe assembly, and   the at least one shock absorber of the other rear suspension assembly is arranged inward of the second frame arch in the lateral direction.   
     
     
         11 . A land vehicle comprising:
 a chassis extending in a longitudinal direction that includes a front suspension subframe assembly having a pair of base rails spaced from one another in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;   a pair of front wheels supported by the front suspension subframe assembly; and   a pair of front suspension assemblies each coupled to one of the pair of front wheels and the front suspension subframe to support the pair of front wheels for rotation relative to the chassis in use of the land vehicle,   wherein:   one of the front suspension assemblies is mounted to one of the pair of base rails such that the one front suspension assembly is arranged outward of the one of the pair of base rails in the lateral direction,   the other of the front suspension assemblies is mounted to the other of the pair of base rails such that the other front suspension assembly is arranged outward of the other of the pair of base rails in the lateral direction, and   the one front suspension assembly includes (i) a swing arm assembly movably coupled to a mount structure that includes a disc on which one of the pair of front wheels is rotatably mounted and (ii) at least one shock absorber movably coupled to the swing arm assembly and the mount structure.   
     
     
         12 . The land vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the front suspension subframe assembly comprises a drive unit cradle at least partially housing a plurality of drive units of the vehicle that are coupled to the pair of front wheels, and   the drive unit cradle is mounted to the base rail assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The land vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein the one front suspension assembly includes a mount plate directly coupled to the one of the pair of base rails such that the mount plate is aligned with the drive unit cradle in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         14 . The land vehicle of  claim 13 , wherein the mount structure of the one front suspension assembly includes a planar mount face in direct contact with a planar exterior face of the mount plate. 
     
     
         15 . The land vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein the mount structure, the swing arm assembly, and the at least one shock absorber are arranged outward of the one of the pair of base rails in the lateral direction.